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Leader Russo issues statement on emergency changes to primary filing requirements

Say Republican commissioners created primary election chaos by passing unconstitutional maps twice
January 27, 2022
Democratic Newsroom

COLUMBUS —House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) issued a statement after the Ohio House approved an amendment yesterday to House Bill (HB) 93 which would make several changes to the filing requirements for the primary election. The changes are in response to uncertainty caused by unconstitutional state legislative and Congressional maps. 

"Voters deserve free and fair elections. That means having access to run for office, knowing what the district lines are, and knowing who you're voting for," said Leader Russo. "Our elections were jeopardized when the majority on the Redistricting Commission twice passed unconstitutional district maps favoring their own political party and when Republicans refused to appropriately move the petition filing deadline. The emergency legislative changes that were passed will help alleviate some concerns about administrative deadlines and paperwork requirements, but these measures fall far short of what’s needed to prevent chaos and confusion for election officials and candidates.”

The amendment would: 

·         Allow the Secretary of State to adjust internal, administrative deadlines for the primary election;

·         Ensure candidates are not penalized for incorrect district numbers or dates on their filing petitions resulting from changes to legislative district maps; 

·         Give candidates more flexibility to meet residency requirements due to last minute map changes. 

The Ohio Supreme Court struck down both the state legislative and Congressional maps as unconstitutional in mid-January. The Court gave the Ohio Redistricting Commission 10 days to redraw the state legislative maps, and Republican commissioners adopted another set of partisan, four-year state maps on Jan. 22 without any Democratic support. The new state maps are under review by the Court after voter rights advocates filed legal objections Tuesday. The filing deadline for state legislative candidates remains Feb. 2, though petitioners have asked the Court to postpone it.